The 4 Times Dan Punched Chuck
by Wishful Dreaming
Summary: ...and the one time Chuck punched back. Mostly Dan-centric but final two chapters will be Dair.
1. Chapter 1

The 4 times Dan Punched Chuck and the 1 Time He Punched Back

**Disclaimer:** Not even Blair's master plotting could get me Gossip Girl

**Summary: **For every time Dan punched Chuck and for the one time he retaliated. The first three chapters will cover the three canon punches while the fourth will be my try on episode 4x18. This will end in Dair. Anything directly quoted from an episode will be in bold.

1st Punch: The first time is at the Kiss on the Lips party and it's entirely for Jenny.

Dan hardly knows Chuck Bass then. The closest he ever got was maybe a couple of the same classes at St. Judes but even then Chuck rarely attended class. And, of course, Dan had heard the rumors. Bad news, alcoholic, some drugs, disturbed, slept with most of the women in New York, rich, and all before his eighteenth birthday. Dan thought it sounded a bit typical of the Upper East Side population. The first hint that Chuck is not typical is in the way Serena reacts when Dan says his name on their first date.

He's not that worried when he firsts gets the text from Jenny. He's not from the Upper East Side and has no idea the sorts of things that can happen to a girl in their world. To him, life is full of consequences but for them, there is no such thing, only cover-ups, lies, and bribes.

Dan apologizes and tells Serena that he has to go, that his sister is having trouble with Chuck. When she offers to come with him he tries to blow her off because Dan's still worried about making a good impression on the blonde princess from the Upper East Side he's been obsessed with since ninth grade. The thought that Jenny is in serious danger still hasn't crossed his mind.

"**No, no, listen, if it's Chuck it's not ok," **Serena says pulling him into a cab.

Her words have the right effect. Dan suddenly feels sick to his stomach, chilled to his core, and horrified beyond belief, the whole nine yards. When they arrive at the party the panic really takes over. Up, up the stairs to the roof. The only pause they make is when Serena, equally fearful, informs,

"**That's Chuck's scarf."**

If at all possible, he speeds up. Dan's brain commits the scene to memory when he sees them, Chuck pressed up against Jenny, grabbing at her and when he hears Jenny's pleas for him to stop. The nightmares plague him for weeks.

Both he and Serena rush at them, yelling at Chuck. Dan grabs hold of Jenny pulling her away. The strap of her dress has been pushed off her shoulder. That sight combined with the horrific knowledge that he could've been too late, that this could've gone a lot further is enough to push him the rest of the way over the edge. Dan protects the people he loves.

Serena takes the sobbing Jenny out of Dan's arms with a knowing look. It's hard to miss the rage painted all over his face. Dan approaches Chuck without hesitation, without thought, without listening to whatever poor excuse he's giving. All that really matters is that Chuck was just all over his _baby _sister.

He swings his fist, hard until his knuckles collide with Chuck's face. Chuck stumbles back, gripping his face, yelling obscenities, too drunk to do anything else. It's enough at the moment for Dan who feels real satisfaction from the blood oozing from Chuck's nose.

It's not until they get back to Brooklyn, to the loft, to home, where the rational, sensible people live that the feeling wears off. Now all Dan is left with is an aching hand, a renewed anger, and painful series of what ifs. Jenny promising that she's okay before disappearing to her room is the only comforting thing.

There are no frozen vegetables in the freezer for his hand, they are Humphrey's, after all, and he's too exhausted to even think about filling a bag of ice so he settles for the can of frozen concentrate orange juice. He heads to his own bed, collapsing in it, desperate to just go to sleep. Tomorrow he will assess Jenny's mental health and attempt to repair whatever damage Bass had caused. Right now though, it's enough that she's in the next room, safe.

**To Anyone Who Cares: **I hope everyone likes it! Please review! I just had this idea while I was watching season one episodes for my other story and decided to go through with it. I want to hurry and get this out before the show comes back and the actual events affect my writing so updates will be quick. The last chapter will be Dair, just a warning, so feel free to only read the first three chapters, if you want.


	2. Chapter 2

The 4 times Dan Punched Chuck and the 1 Time He Punched Back

**Disclaimer:** Not even Blair's master plotting could get me Gossip Girl

**Summary: **For every time Dan punched Chuck and for the one time he retaliated. The first three chapters will cover the three canon punches while the fourth will be my try on episode 4x18. This will end in Dair. Anything directly quoted from an episode will be in bold.

2nd Punch: The second time is only a day later at the Bass Foundation brunch and it's mostly for Jenny again. There's also a little anger at Serena, at all of them, and at himself for even being in this situation.

It was somewhere he wouldn't have been caught dead at even a day ago. He is only there for Serena which is ironic considering how the brunch ends. Really, it's fine until the end when it's suddenly not fine.

He first begins to come to his senses when Serena deserts him. There's the run in with Ms. Van Der Woodsen, scary, Chuck's heated glare on him at all times, scarier, and, finally, Blair brings the finale.

"**Hi, I'm Blair Waldorf, Serena's friend," **she introduces as if he doesn't already know who she is. That would've been fine; Dan could've handled a not-so-civil conversation with her. Waldorf's like a catalyst though to the ticking bomb.

Behind her, come Nathaniel Archibald and Serena Van Der Woodsen, looking decidedly guilty. While each of them is desperately fighting for his attention, trying to sell him their side of the story Dan just gets a headache. Serena is apparently every bit the Upper East Sider that the rest of them are. He makes his decision right then to just walk away and leave them and their scandal. He just wants to return to his outsider status where things make sense, where he can breathe.

But then Chuck suddenly appears at his side since as a law of physics at the heart of every scandal lies a Bass. Dan is not surprised at all to discover Chuck knows all about Serena's little affair. He also isn't surprised, because he now knows the sort of deplorable man Chuck is, when he brings up last night, Jenny.

"**Ah, yes, little Jenny. I do believe she and I have some unfinished business," **he says darkly.

Not being surprised and not reacting are two very different things though. Dan is short-tempered and young and protective and simply out of his depth. Thus for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Dan's fist collides with Chuck's face. He doesn't stop to think about this time either.

When he arrives back at the loft a short time later, Jenny is waiting for him inside. Apparently the pictures from the brunch are all already on Gossip Girl including the punch.

"Dan, what happened?" she asks before he can even tell her he doesn't want to talk about it.

Shuffling past her, Dan aims straight for the medicine cabinet. He swallows three ibuprofens without water hoping they have some affect on his throbbing, bruised hand. Only then does he answer her begrudgingly, "Serena and I are over. And Chuck shouldn't be a problem again."

He doesn't wait for all the pestering questions she surely has for him as he walks into his bedroom, shutting the garage door behind him. Dan considers it a victory that he manages to make it to his bed before collapsing.

**To Anyone Who Cares: **I hope everyone likes it! Please review! Like I said fast update; I'm so proud of myself. Thank you so much Jess for your review.


	3. Chapter 3

The 4 times Dan Punched Chuck and the 1 Time He Punched Back

**Disclaimer:** Not even Blair's master plotting could get me Gossip Girl

**Summary: **For every time Dan punched Chuck and for the one time he retaliated. The first three chapters will cover the three canon punches while the fourth will be my try on episode 4x18. This will end in Dair. Anything directly quoted from an episode will be in bold.

3rd Punch: Except that Chuck is a problem, again and again. Somehow though the third time doesn't happen for another three years. It happens in the hospital on what should've been a happy day. He does it for Jenny, he thinks. It's complicated, his motives, in a way the previous two were not. He doesn't analyze it too much because he's pretty sure he doesn't want to acknowledge that Jenny was not the only person he was protecting.

It starts with Eric's frightened, worried voice, "**Jenny's here. She needs help." **

Dan knows that. Jenny has needed help for a while now. He doesn't even recognize his baby sister anymore. The problem is she doesn't want help. The only reason Dan didn't totally blow Eric off is his tone. Something about the way he spoke said that this, whatever she got herself into now, is serious.

"**She's in the chapel," **Eric informs.

He stands up from his waiting room chair and walks briskly to the chapel. He really doesn't want to know what is going on now but she is still his baby sister no matter what she does. She could be on drugs, she could be pregnant, she could have a STD, or she could've killed someone. Dan isn't ruling anything out.

"Jenny? Are you in here?" Dan calls out entering the chapel.

There is no answer but Dan can hear her crying. He instantly understands why Eric is so worried. She is sitting there hunched over with her blond hair hanging in tangles everywhere, mascara and eyeliner is smeared down her face by the stream of tears, and a painful progression of sobs erupt from her throat. Jenny has hit rock bottom.

"I told Eric not to tell anyone," she says in broken whispers.

Dan sits down beside her, pulling her into a hug. That is all it takes for the whole story to come spilling out of her mouth. Chuck. She slept with Chuck. Blair showed up.

Of course, Blair had shown up. Dan knew she was going to forgive Chuck. On the way to the hospital with Dorota, Blair had told him that if he really wanted to, if he really loved her, he should go after Serena. When he asked her about the sudden change of heart, Blair replied that she was going back to Chuck. Dan can't help the stab of pity he feels for Waldorf. He can't imagine what it is like to be in love with Chuck.

"I'm going to kill him this time," Dan swears getting up and stomping his way out of the hospital.

Jenny follows behind him begging him not to do this but he's determined. It's not just about Jenny this time. It's about Chuck, about everyone he hurts. Dan won't let him get away with this. He has to learn that there are consequences for his actions.

This time is different for a number of other reasons. For one, Dan has time to contemplate what he's about to do. Not that it helps; he just gets angrier with time.

They exit out the south side of the hospital and Dan sees that luck is on his side. Chuck is right there with Blair. That's the other reason this time is different, Blair. Whatever else Dan thinks about Blair, he doesn't want to see Chuck betray her again.

Dan squashes that side of his anger though because it's complicated and confusing instead focusing on Jenny. Chuck slept with his baby sister.

He approaches Chuck quickly from the side, Jenny still behind him, pleading. He swings his arm in full arc straight at Chuck's face. His fist connects so hard that the force knocks Chuck Bass to the ground.

Blair gapes at him in shock, looking from him to Chuck.

"**What the hell are you doing?" **she yells at him, accusingly.

Dan points at Chuck like he is some kind of vermin that needs exterminating and bites out the accusation, **"You, tell her."**

And then it all unravels. The truth, the betrayal, the accusations, the rage, the hurt, the apologies, and the banishment.

Dan leaves Blair with one final sentiment before leaving with the rest of the van der Humphrey's.

"**This begins and ends with Chuck."**

And it does. He finally did the unthinkable, the inexcusable. After trying once three years ago, Chuck had finally taken her first time away from her. Jenny was a child and he stole that from her. Dan thought Chuck had grown up, apparently not. It was as if as the years passed Dan's opinion of Chuck grew worse and worse. The good part about that, Dan figures is it couldn't possibly get any worse than this.

Dan makes it all the way to the car before he decides he just wants be alone, in Brooklyn. It's where he retreats to after every major scandal. He leans into the car and tells his family he'll come over later but that he's tired and just wants to go back to the loft.

While he waits for a cab to pick him up, Blair exits the hospital. Her head is held high but Dan knows that it's just for appearances. She sees him and walks over, determination radiating in every step. Any passerby would have no idea that she had just had her heart broken into itty-bitty pieces.

She comes up and stands side-to-side with him, neither looking at each other.

"I'm waiting for my driver," she explains.

"I'm waiting for a cab," he replies, not sure if he should even speak.

Dan can see her nod out of the corner of his eye.

Seconds that feel more like minutes pass as they stand there. Eventually Blair quietly whispers, "Thank you."

"I destroyed your happily ever after," Dan mutters, a bit confused. He wants to tell her he didn't do it for her. But even in his head he can tell it's a half-lie.

"I don't think Chuck is capable of happily ever after. It would've come out eventually. If not that, something else, there would always be something else with him. It's best I know now," Blair says, the anguish in her voice undisguisable.

He thinks they're having a moment here. It wasn't there first. They have a sort of understanding with each other. Dan thinks that as his opinion of Chuck has worsened, at least Blair's has drastically improved.

"You do deserve better," Dan reminds her, repeating the words he spoke to her at Dorota and Vanya's wedding.

He watches her out of the corner of his eye as she nods again, a couple of tears dripping down her face. Somehow Dan knows she doesn't want him to see that so he stays facing forward even as her car pulls up and she gets in. He does hope she's okay though.

Moments later his cab pulls up and Dan gives him the address to the loft. He's had more than enough of the Upper East Side for one night. He's not ready anyway to talk to Jenny. He's pretty sure though that only thing that will save her this time is getting out of the Upper East Side.

When he gets back to the loft, Dan skips the ice, ignoring his bruised hand, and heads straight for the sanctuary of his room. The foolish, naïve part of him thinks that if he can just go to sleep he'll wake up and today will never have happened.

**To Anyone Who Cares: **I hope everyone likes it! Please review! So I lied there was a bit of Dair here too but I thought it seemed realistic. So I'm really hoping I can get the last chapter out tomorrow before the new episode since it will be my attempt at what happens in 4x18 but who knows. Thank you so much Jess, Kat, AugustaRose, and nuevaviva for reviewing!


	4. Chapter 4

The 4 times Dan Punched Chuck and the 1 Time He Punched Back

**Disclaimer:** Not even Blair's master plotting could get me Gossip Girl

**Summary: **For every time Dan punched Chuck and for the one time he retaliated. The first three chapters will cover the three canon punches while the fourth will be my try on episode 4x18. This will end in Dair. Anything directly quoted from an episode will be in bold.

4th Punch: The fourth time there is no doubt, it's all about Blair. Almost a full year has passed since the last time which is weird considering how much everything has changed. It's funny though, in a not-so-funny way, that the only time it happens on Dan's own turf, in his loft even, it's also the only time Chuck retaliates.

Dan hurries over to the door of the loft to answer the persistent knocking. When Dan pulls the door open, he can't stop his mouth from dropping open in surprise, horror, anger, disbelief, all of the above. It's Chuck. Chuck Bass, the dark prince of the Upper East Side, is in Brooklyn. Dan has confirmation now: the world really is coming to an end.

The moment of shock wears off quickly though and Dan feels red hot anger flood his veins. Over the past four months of their growing friendship, Dan and Blair have talked a lot. But it's not until one very drunk night that they spill some serious secrets like her being traded for a hotel.

If it weren't for the fact that he had been way past tipsy and Blair had begged him not to do anything stupid, Dan would've marched straight to that stupid hotel and burned it down with Chuck still inside. How could he do that to Blair, the girl who loved him unconditionally? He handed her over to Jack Bass like she was some worthless prostitute for a hotel. Everytime Dan thinks of it he feels like vomiting.

"What do you want Bass?" Dan asks threateningly. He stands steadfastly in the door refusing to allow Chuck in. The horror of the hotel scandal is still fresh in his mind and he can't stand even looking at him right now.

"I know you kissed Blair," Chuck growls. He obviously has no idea of what thin ice he's on with Dan. The way he talks about it her, it's like he considers Blair a possession.

But Dan has been in the Upper East Side long enough to learn a few tricks. He smirks, toying with Bass, who smells heavily of scotch, and tells him the truth, "Actually she kissed me first. And then I kissed her. And then… you know what I've lost count of how many times we've kissed."

Chuck stares at him homicidally. "Go ahead Humphrey," Chuck spit out with derision, "Have your fun. But know that she'll be mine when it's all over. Her and I, we're inevitable. I'm the only one she can ever love."

As Chuck's voice grew in volume, Dan peers back into the loft anxiously. He suddenly regrets egging him on. He just needs to get Chuck out of here, quick.

Scoffing at Chuck's tirade, Dan prays this will end their discussion. "Chuck, just calm down. It's her life, her choices. She deserves someone who makes her happy."

He doesn't quit though. Chuck clearly has no idea how furious Dan is. He has no idea that Dan is seconds away from losing his cool exterior. He has no idea how protective Dan's become of Blair, how much he cares about her.

He has no idea about any of this so he roars impulsively, "I won't let her be happy with anyone else! She belongs with me!"

And there it is Dan's breaking point. With a practiced swing Dan drives his fist into Chuck's face drawing satisfaction from the sickly crunch of his nose.

"Dan?" a sleepy voice asks. Dan turns around to see Blair Waldorf getting up off the couch. She walks over, hair mussed from her nap on his couch, one of his t-shirts on, curious about who's on the other side of the door. Dan waits with baited breath as she comes into view. And there she is. The other thing Chuck has no idea about, the reason Dan tried to keep Chuck calm.

In the moment that Chuck sees Blair, Dan knows he must be thinking the worst. "Blair's here! With you!" Chuck thunders, releasing his nose in exchange for punching Dan. Blair screams in shock, very awake now.

The heavy handed punch lands straight on Dan's right eye. Chuck clearly wants to leave visible bruising. Dan doesn't miss a beat though and immediately begins to forcefully shove Chuck out the door.

He remains resolutely just in the door and looks over at Blair. His face is a cold, hard mask as he demands that Blair leave with him. She moves forward slowly and Dan is terrified that she's going to walk out that door with Chuck. She doesn't do that though.

"Chuck. I'm sorry," she says softly coming up beside Dan. She shakes her head at him. She's not following him this time. Chuck backs up finally eyes locked with hers until he turns around and walks away without a word.

She shuts the door and turns to Dan, courage in her eyes that Dan hasn't seen in a long time. She reaches up and strokes his cheek, surveying the damage. Next she takes his hand in hers and brushes her fingers over his knuckles. Blair, an endless stream sarcastic barbs and witty remarks, says nothing.

She leads him into the kitchen where she opens the medicine cabinet pulling out things he didn't even know were in there. He finds it kind of amazing how she already knows where everything is in the loft. He finds it kind of amazing that she's even still here.

She gently binds his hand with gauze and presses a bag of ice she's wrapped in a towel to his hand. He can't remember the last time someone took care of him like this, so tenderly, as if he was breakable.

"Use the ice on your eye too," Blair advises, breaking the silence. She seems to be shaking herself out of her thoughts.

"Blair?" He asks causing her look back up at him. He sees the fear in her eyes though and knows she's not ready to talk about what just happened. If she even understood what happened. So he settles for, "Thank you."

She grins. Her words don't quite carry her usual tone but she tries, "Humphrey, please try to be more careful. I don't want to always be bandaging you up."

It's not exactly a promise and it's not exactly a forever. But Blair said the word "always" and she's with him right now, not Chuck. He knows that eventually they will have to talk about Chuck but not now, not tonight.

"I'll do my best," Dan promises, grinning back at her.

"Come on. I want to see the end of the movie," Blair tugged him behind her. His face and hand hurt like hell but Dan feels like has finally won. Dan's not alone this time as sinks into the cushions of the couch.

**To Anyone Who Cares: **I hope everyone likes it! Please review! Victory, made it just in time before the episode! I rushed this so I'm not sure how it is. So, sadly, we already know from the promos that this doesn't happen but a girl can dream. I really don't hate Chuck as much as this chapter makes it seem but it worked for what I wanted. Anyway this is the last chapter unless I get really crazy or Dan decides to punch Chuck again. Thank you so much Jess, Kat, AugustaRose, and nuevaviva, Kate2008, cathedrals, laurasicas, Lozza the Lolly for reviewing!


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